Seriously Chocolate Cake

Who can resist a seriously chocolatey, seriously delicious chocolate layer cake? No one we know. This super-rich, showstopping cake, chock full of 85% Super Dark Chocolate Mexicano, makes a killer centerpiece for any holiday dessert table.

Photo and Recipe Credit: Taza Chocolate

Ingredients:
2 cups sifted all purpose flour + 2 tbsp for dusting
2 teaspoons baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 stick unsalted butter
2 cups brown sugar, firmly packed
3 large eggs
2 2.7 oz packages Super Dark Chocolate Mexicano discs
½ cup milk
½ cup yogurt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

To Prepare:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease the bottoms and sides of two 8-inch cake pans with butter. Add one tablespoon of flour to each pan and shake & shimmy the pan to ensure the greased bottom and sides have a light dusting of flour.

In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside. In a separate medium microwave safe bowl, melt chocolate in the microwave 30 seconds at a time until no solid pieces are left (about 90 seconds). Set aside to cool but not solidify.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or in a large bowl with a hand mixer, beat the butter and brown sugar at medium speed to combine. Increase the speed to medium-high and beat, scraping down the sides as necessary, until the mixture is pale and thick, about 5 minutes. Reduce the speed to medium and beat in eggs, one at a time until well combined. When chocolate is warm but not hot to the touch, add to butter mixture and beat until fully incorporated.

Reduce the speed to medium-low and add half of the dry ingredients into the batter, followed by ¼ cup milk, then the other half of the dry ingredients, and remaining mild. Do not over mix. Batter will be thin.

Evenly divide batter between the two greased-and-dusted pans. Shake and shimmy the pans to ensure any air bubbles that may be mixed in burst. Bake in the over for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Remove cakes from the oven and turn the cake pans upside down on top of a cooling rack to release the cakes from the pan. Allow to cool to room temperature.

When cakes have cooled, spread your favorite frosting
on top of one of the cakes and place the other cake on top. Frost the top and the sides. From here, you can get creative with your decorations. Regardless, cake will stay fresh in the fridge for up to a week.